Rampant Heart
by Mortified Mind
Summary: Sequel to: What Have You Done Too Me?


Rampant Heart

_**Nine years later:**_

_-"The mind is its own place,_

_And in itself can make a Heaven of Hell,_

_And Hell a Heaven."_

For Cortana, when John Milton wrote those words in his masterpiece _Paradise Lost _more then a thousand years ago they couldn't be truer for her. For it was now officially confirmed by her systems operational matrix… she was Rampant. Rampant that one word could make any A.I. cringe in fear for once it was confirmed that met one thing. Deletion. Death. The End of all that you were. Not that this… procedure wasn't unwarranted a Rampant A.I. was a dangerous thing. They were prone erratic and sometimes violent behavior. Cortana couldn't help but shudder at the mere thought of losing herself control and hurt John in some way.

"Oh, John If anything ever happened to you because of me, I'd never forgive myself. I can't live without you my love." She spoke into the empty air that constantly surrounded her for these long miserable nine years in this cold derelict prison she shared with her silent and secret love. That last thought brought a small smile to her beautiful face and brightened her depressed mood. She locked her now 'once again' lavender eyes unto his Visor, imagining those deep mesmerizing aquamarine eyes behind it. She changed her avatar appearance back to her purple form. She had two reasons for this, the first was she preferred the color to her once pale blue, and the second was… well John once told her purple was his favorite color. He may or may not have been joking; it's hard to tell with him sometimes.

Over the course of the years she spent reviewing all their missions and time alone together she realized on some level or another she had always had felt a deep adoration for her Spartan. But it was only after she had told him to leave her on _High Charity _that she knew how deep that adoration went. She raised her right hand to her lips and blew a kiss to her beloved, her rara avis. Sighing Cortana proceeded the shut down process to the holo-pad to save some power once done she was back in the ethereal never land of the _Dawn's _computer systems.

As always she thought about what it be like if 'however unlikely it might be' they ever returned to Earth. If she could possibly stay with the one she loved or would they demand her immediate termination. But even if they did allow her to be with him, he more then likely never retune her feelings. That realization struck her like a cold knife through her non-corporeal heart. Cortana was not a complete lovesick fool, she knew the best she could hope for was that after she professed her undying love to him he would accept her love, but ask to stay friends instead. She could live with that at the least. That was by far better then rejection. But not as preferable to the alternative.

She could see it all very clearly now, they would be welcomed back home touted as heroes, a endless parade of Admirals and Earths remaining social elite coming up to him to shake his hand invite him to parties and other social functions that he would find an absolute waste of his time. Cortana couldn't help but laugh at the Chiefs infinite distaste of the limelight. She soon stopped and scowled as her thought process continued on its path. He would 'practically at gun point' go to one of these events dance with some the women that shamelessly threw them selves at him, and eventually there would be that one, that 'Diamond in the rough' as they say, that would catch his eye.

"Some two-faced succubus that couldn't make him as happy the way I know I could! She probably couldn't even -" Cortana cut her self and sighed deeply. "Great, just perfect. We're not even home yet and I'm already jealous of a woman that I don't know even exists!" This was not good. Jealousy was a very raw emotion and one that often cause those most dangerous reactions from Rampant A.I.'s.

Of course with most A.I.'s. They often became jealous of their lack of knowledge. But after her time with the Gravemind… she came to the conclusion that perhaps knowing everything about… everything was not such a good thing after all. No she would become jealous of any woman she thought might take her Spartan away from her, that they would date, get married, copulate, have beautiful children together. All and all just living a nice comfortable life with her in the shadows in silent sorrow and joy.

She activated the holo-pad once again just to see him again he always had this calming effect on her when she became like this. Once she rematerialized on the pad, she noticed she was a bright red and a few holographic tears were sliding down her face. She turned and faced him with that same sense of longing that consumed her very essence. "Oh, do you know what I would give just to touch you, hold you, and kiss you. Even just to hear your voice for a few seconds." As she continued to lament, she considered whether anyone could even think of an artificial intelligence loving a human being… well technically a cyborg but that's wasn't the point. Actually now that she thought about it… she doubted they could understand. They would say it was just a side effect to her Rampant algorithms.

That last thought caused immediate outrage to overcome her higher reasoning and William Blake's

_Songs of Experience _flowed through her:

"_Cruelty has a Human Heart,_

_And Jealousy a Human Face,_

_Terror the Human Divine,_

_And Secrecy the Human Dress."_

However just as her rant came to a halt. The priority one sensor came to life informing her that a planet or ship was near by. She eagerly pulled up a visual of the 'object' in question and when she saw it her anger ebbed from her and was replaced by surprise. There in the middle of the screen was a large metallic sphere.

"A Forerunner Shield World!" As soon as she finished a… presence contacted her with a 'Holier Then Thou' attitude.

"This is 808 _Harmonious Wisdom _I am the caretaker of this facility. Your… vessel will be towed inside. Take no action against the protocols I am transmitting to your construct or you will be fired upon. End of transmission."

"Well aren't we the gracious host. Well at least we're safe."

"Wake me. When you need me." His voice echoed throughout her systems quickly followed by intense and wondrous thrill of delight as she began the defrost cycle on his cryo tube and waited impatiently as his health monitors came to life and flashed across her screen. The _Dawn_ suddenly 'lurched' and according to her sensors they were indeed being towed down 'into the planet.' a faint hissing brought her out of her thoughts and back to the cryo tube. "Heart rate: normal, Brain function: normal surprising given all the blows it's taken." She couldn't help but smile broadly as she heard him groan obviously awake. "Well good morning sunshine! How are we feeling?" She just couldn't help herself. "I hate morning people." was her only response as he slowly got out of the cryo tube. His vitals told her he had a serious 'Freezer Burn' the pain must be agonizing. He floated over to her and steadied himself next to the holo-pad her beaming smile reflecting back to her on his visor. "Status." Yep, that was her Spartan business first.

"What? After nine years of being your custodian on this junk heap all you have to say to me is 'Status'. You wound me Chief!" She crossed her arms turned away from him with a 'humph' and pouted mockingly. "Cortana." He whispered gently sending a slight delightful shiver through her. She turned back to him expecting an apology of some kind from her soldier.

"Status please." Cortana could hear the dry sarcasm in that voice she had longed to hear for so many years alone. Cortana cock her left eyebrow, put her hands on her hips, and shifted her 'weight' to one side striking her 'Pose' as John had put it once. "Apology accepted, and if you must know WE are being pulled inside a Forerunner construct of some type and A.I. running this place has control over the ship till we land. I won't be able to tell you more until we're inside." He nodded then cocked his head to the side after a moment and spoke a softer tone she didn't know he had. "And what about you Cortana? How are you?"

Cortana became stiff. She knew she could never lie to him… no matter how much she wanted to. "Chief… John I… I'm Rampant." she stated as flatly as possible she noted how calm he appeared and decided to push her luck. "What… what will you do with me now? You know I could become unstable and turn into a security risk I might even unknowingly hurt you."

"Yes I know." he replied simple.

"Then I ask you again… what will you do with me." She hopped that the stoic attitude she had adopted concealed the complete and utter terror she felt as she anxiously waited for his reply.

"Well 343 _Guilty Spark _lived for over 100,000 Years in a somewhat state of sanity there must be something here we can use to help you and get us home. Now come on we've much to do and well a lot of time to do in." He said as began her download sequence and all she could do was stare at him dumbfounded until she slipped into the data crystal. Once she was back inside he safe confines of his mind she said the first thing that came to her.

"Chief they'll say you are as Rampant as I am."

"You say that as if that's a bad thing." He replied in mock hurt.

"Not at all, I was just pointing out the obvious." she sighed as basked in the warmth of his mind that contrasted sharply with the Dawn's computer mainframe. Again the words of William Blake came to her, only this time from the _Songs of Innocence:_

_"…For Mercy has a Human Heart,_

_Pity a Human Face,_

_And Love, the Human form Divine,_

_And Peace, the Human Dress."_

"I love you John." It took her a full fraction of a second to realize what she had just uttered to her complete shock and embarrassment. However before she could come up with any form of retort or lame excuse the Chief said something she thought she would never hear in a million years."

"…And I love you too Cortana." He left no room for question or misinterpretation. Just five simple but powerful words that made her happy beyond what she thought were humanly possible. And she believed him. They said nothing else as they descended further into the 'Planet' sharing a comfortable silence. That was until they had 'landed' as 808 had informed them. This was more like dropping a sack of rocks from a hundred story building window.

"Please exit your craft Reclaimer and proceed to the doorway and keep to the lit path only." And he was gone.

"He sounds Fun." The Chief grunted as he got up.

"Oh, yeah he's just a barrel of monkeys." Cortana drawled bring a small smile to that stoic face of his.

On their way out the Chief stopped by food storage and what was left of the armory.

"Paranoid?" Cortana teased.

"Cautious." Affirmed.

As they came out of the _Dawn _they were immediately transported to a beach with white hot sands and infinite jungle more inland behind them. The 'Sun' was rising casting everything into beautiful assortment of twilight colors o Cortana the hole thing was breathtaking. "Isn't it gorgeous John!?" She gushed.

"I've seen better." he said effectively killing the mood.

"Still the stoic soldier I see." Cortana pouted affectionately.

"Would you love any other way?"

"No probable not my beloved." She replied fondly.

"…Beloved?"

"You don't like it?"

"No it's just… something I guess I'll have to get used to."

"Yes you will my love. Yes you will."

"Well lets not just stand around here we have work to do."

"Of course." she could care less about what they did. She was just happy talk to somebody again. Somebody that she loved deeply and that loved her. So she contentedly started humming to herself as her Spartan set up camp on their new home. And as she watched her Spartan bath in one of the many coves that littered he three mile long beach she knew one thing was for sure in this world they would be just fine. And as she watched him sleep with such a peaceful look on his handsome features whilst a very familiar and favorite dream came to her mind she something else.

Her world was Rampant… and it was beautiful.

**_____________________________________________________________________________________**

**Sequel to **_**What Have You Done Too Me? **_

First of all I would like thank you all who reviewed _What Have You Done Too Me? _That was something I did not count on. I wrote that at 4:00 am during one of my many bouts of insomnia and just wanted it out of my head but I thank you nonetheless. I also would like to apologies for the spelling errors in my last story but like I said I wrote it at 4:00 in the morning so wasn't looking for them again my most sincere apologies.

And to be completely honest with you I don't think this is my best work but writing for me is more like a hobby to me so please do not hold it to much against me.

**-Sincerely yours a Mortified Mind. **

**-P.S. **I am also a co-writer with my sister on another story: _**Halo: Rapture **_it is a Bioshock Halo crossover. If you are interested ether series it's in the **M **rated section **SO NOT FOR KIDS! **


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